So You Want to Be an IRCop?

If you are considering #DALnetHelp as your step to becoming an IRC Operator, please save us the ugliness of having to weed you out and remove you from the training process, and save yourself the embarrassment of being removed.   Don't help if your goal is to be an IRC Operator; we are looking for people who have the disposition and patience needed to help users on the network—not for people who are only  "putting in time" so they can be recognized as a potential IRCop.

Becoming an IRCop is a fairly difficult process.

In order to become an IRCop, a Server Administrator must ask you to join his or her server's staff.  Admins ask people that they feel are trustworthy and can take care of the server or network, making sure it stays in tip-top shape.

Most people recommend that you help in a help channel as a first step to "operdom".  This is not true.  Helping in help channels will *NOT* guarantee you that you will be considered for an IRCop position.  In fact, recognized "oper wannabes" are disregarded, both by the help channels and by admins.

IRC Operators have three duties in descending order of importance:

• Helping their admin run and maintain their server.
• Helping their admin with running and maintaining the network as requested by the network.
• Helping the users of the network with problems.

This third duty is done primarily in a oper's "free time" if they choose, so training and experience as a helper is not a major need.  Most servers have one oper (often the server admin) that has a record of proven ability, and who has been requested by the network to work more directly with the users as a CSOP (Channel Services Operator) in investigating claims of lost or stolen passwords, nicknames, channels, harassment, etc.

Help channels often have a problem with people helping just to get an O:Line.  Our duties and those of the IRC Operators have a small overlap, but we are not the "first step" to obtaining an O:Line—so help to HELP and *NOT* to become an IRCop.

Since working as an IRC Operator is a position of trust and responsibility the best way to eventually become one is to:

1. Learn as much about how the internet and IRC work as possible.
2. Learn as much about Unix systems as possible, since most DALnet servers use FreeBSD.
3. Develop a track record of demonstrated responsibility as a channel AOP and SOP.
4. Become known to the network via the email lists 
   (start with dalnet@dal.net, then if you gain expertise elsewhere, look for that list).
5. Luck into being friends with someone who asks you to be a oper on a new server 
   (servers already linked have all the opers they need).

If you think you might enjoy helping users, then feel free to join one of the network's help channels. There are a wide variety available for you to try your hand in (see the list below).  However, many of these either require an extensive training program, or proof of your expertise in their specific area of coverage.